1. Field of the Invention
The method of this invention relates a method of diagnosing a patient as having a traumatic brain injury and/or treating the patient therapeutically for such traumatic brain injury. In one embodiment, the treatment involves administering a therapeutically effective amount of resibufogenin to the patient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been known that traumatic brain injuries can result in temporary problems, permanent problems, and in some instances, death. It has, more recently, been recognized that such brain injuries may not, initially, produce symptoms which cause the patient, others, or even medically-skilled individuals to be concerned even though, within a day or two, very serious consequences may result.
In one relatively recent incident, a well-known actress had a minor fall while skiing. She, at the time, felt no adverse consequences and refused medical attention. Several hours later, in her hotel room, she complained of a headache, and within hours, she was in critical condition. She died two days later. As a result of instances such as this, it is important that there be prompt and effective medical attention to situations, wherein traumatic brain injury may have occurred.
At present, one of the rather subjective and not totally effective diagnostic techniques when traumatic brain injury is suspected involves a number of examining techniques. The patient receives a neurological examination which may consist of the following: 1) mental status, 2) motor function, 3) sensory examination, 4) deep tendon reflexes, 5) station, gait, and equilibrium, and 6) cranial nerve function. The mental status examination may include: a) level of consciousness, b) short and long term memory, c) knowledge of patient and place and d) questions about symptoms: headache, dizziness, blurry vision, etc. In addition, the patient may also have radiological studies which could include CT scan of the head, MRI, PET scan. It has been reported that in the early stages of (especially mild) traumatic brain injury, the imaging techniques may not be sufficiently sensitive to detect an abnormality. Furthermore, the patient's cognitive skills may not be impaired initially, and there may be few, if any, symptoms. Patients are often observed over 24-48 hours and are awakened at regular intervals (e.g., every 3-4 hours) to assure that they are able to be aroused. Narcotics for headache or other pain are not given, so that their effects do not cloud the issue of the patient's arousal state. A computerized test which determines level of cognition and reaction time is often employed with repetitive examinations.
One of the problems with this approach in diagnosing potential traumatic brain injuries is that it is not one which always provides precise, timely, objective information. It is also subject to individual variations from person-to-person. Further, if the person is asymptomatic at the time, the conclusion might be that there is no problem, and the individual might be encouraged to go back to normal activities. Such guidance could potentially be injurious to the person's health and could even lead to fatal consequences.
Once a patient has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, it becomes important to treat the patient in a timely, effective manner in order to minimize the risk of permanent injury or death.
In spite of the foregoing known procedures, there remains a very real and substantial need for a method of early and effective determination as to whether an individual has suffered a traumatic brain injury, how severe it might be, and upon finding the presence of such an injury, effectively treating the patient.